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Poll: Will New Jersey Benefit From Opening Another Medical School?

January 22, 2015

Seton Hall University-Hackensack University Health Network would be the state’s only private medical school

Seton Hall University and Hackensack University Health Network have joined forces to launch the state’s only private medical school. Officials with both organizations, as well as state officials, said the new school would increase the number of doctors in the state and help redevelop the former Hoffman-La Roche campus in Clifton and Nutley.

But restraints on the number of medical residences in the state may limit the number of doctors who can continue their training in New Jersey beyond medical school.

What do you think the impact of the school will be, and will the state benefit?

This is just what the doctor ordered for New Jersey. Not only will the state benefit from having more physicians train in the state, but also the school will draw other health-science and research-focused companies to the surrounding campus, serving as a regional economic development hub once again.

While it’s not clear that the medical students will actually become New Jersey doctors, it will be good for the state to add a medical school, and it’s already been long enough that the future of the Roche campus has remained uncertain. This is a good start.

This is fine. With New Jersey’s position as a pharmaceutical powerhouse fading, there was no perfect solution to using a campus that was purpose-built for a drug company. The medical school won’t do any harm, and it could prove to be beneficial in the long run.

It may have paid to be more patient. With limited medical residencies, only some of these medical students will become New Jersey doctors. And adding another nonprofit won’t do much for local property taxes. But at least it will provide some jobs and a base for redevelopment.

This is a mistake. Prime real estate shouldn’t be handed over to a hospital and private college. When all is said and done, New Jersey will still have a doctor shortage and North Jersey will still be short the jobs that Roche took away.